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FRIDAY June 5, 2015 • www.langleytimes.com NEWS Community garden opens
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‘An innocent and gentle person came to a terrible end’ WELL-KNOWN HOMELESS MAN WELLS ‘MILES’ GALLAGHER IDENTIFIED AS MURDER VICTIM MO N I Q U E TA M M I N G A Ti me s Re po r t e r
Condolences and a memorial are growing for Wells ‘Miles’ Gallagher, the homeless man stabbed to death outside Baselines Pub on Monday evening (June 1). Known to many in downtown Langley as ‘Miles’, the 37-year-old had been a fixture in the City for years, seen outside the 7-Eleven, or sitting outside the Starbucks or Save-On Foods on Fraser Highway. A memorial of flowers, candles and cards is growing at the crime scene. His sister Danielle Hagen said her family, especially her mom, is devastated by the news of Wells’ murder. “He was gentle and sweet and suffered from severe schizophrenia,” said Hagen. “We have tried for years to get him help and we’re never able to get him off the street and on his medications. Our system is broken. He truly was a tender and sweet individual. “He would never hurt another living being, even though he himself suffered every day. “An innocent and gentle person came to a terrible end.” David Christopher Van Den Brink, of no fixed address, has been charged with second degree murder in Gallagher’s death.
Van Den Brink, 21, is known to police and remains in custody. Numerous people have been severely traumatized by witnessing the brutal attack on Gallagher, said police. It was around 7 p.m., Langley RCMP started getting frantic calls from citizens witnessing the suspect actively stabbing the victim. Officers arrived and chased the suspect. He was apprehended a few blocks away behind The Langley Times office. Blood covered his clothing. A very large amount of blood was visible on the sidewalk outside the Langley Hotel and Baselines Pub, in the 20300 block of Fraser Highway. CPR was initiated on Gallagher, and he was transported to hospital in grave condition. He later died. Many people who live and/ or work in the downtown have seen or gotten to know Gallagher through the years. Many commented he was a kind, quiet man who has never hurt anyone. Others said they have offered a coffee, sandwich, pocket change or just a hello to him over the years. One woman commented that she was sorry the system had failed Miles. Bouquets of flowers, balloons, notes, candles and a pack of cigarettes have been left beside a bike at the crime scene outside Base-
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D A N FE R GUS ON Langley Time s
A sidewalk memorial for Wells ‘Miles’ Gallagher is growing at the scene of Monday night’s murder in Langley City. The 37-year-old was fatally stabbed and a 21-year-old has been charged with second degree murder. Gallagher (pictured below) grew up in Langley and his family is devastated by his death.
Su bmitte d Pho to s
lines Pub. Many in the community are saddened and shocked at this random attack on ‘Miles.’ Hagen recently went to check in on her brother at the 7-Eleven. While there, a stranger gave Wells a sandwich and juice. “Many in the community were
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concerned for Wells, making sure he was eating,” she said. “That’s Langley for you. This was his community and even though maybe he didn’t always communicate, many have shared that he had a great sense of humour and was very sweet.” Gallagher had no criminal back-
ground. Hagen said her mother is a foster parent who took in Wells at the age of four. He became part of the family and lived with them until he was 19, when he wanted to move out on his own.
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